Public Records Request Policy
Requests to the Governor's Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT), can be made verbally or in writing. Nevada regulations (NAC 239.863) provide for this form as an option when submitting requests to inspect, copy or receive a copy of public records; please keep in mind written requests allow staff to more effectively track and monitor a request. Written requests may be sent by US Mail or email to the designated public records officer for the agency you are requesting records from, or to the OSIT, Director's Office. Director’s Office emails may be sent to dpetrelli@gov.nv.gov. A list of designated public records staff is included below.
According to NRS 239.0107, government entities will respond to requests for inspection or copying of public books or records, with these actions:
Not later than the end of the fifth business day after the date on which the person who has legal custody or control of a public book or record of a governmental entity receives a request from a person to inspect or copy the public book or record, a governmental entity shall do one of the following, as applicable:
(a) Allow the person to inspect or copy the public book or record.
(b) If the governmental entity does not have legal custody or control of the public book or record, provide to the person, in writing:
- Notice of that fact; and
- The name and address of the governmental entity that has legal custody or control of the public book or record, if known.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (d), if the governmental entity is unable to make the public book or record available by the end of the fifth business day after the date on which the person who has legal custody or control of the public book or record received the request, provide to the person, in writing:
- Notice of that fact; and
- A date and time after which the public book or record will be available for the person to inspect or copy. If the public book or record is not available to the person to inspect or copy by that date and time, the person may inquire regarding the status of the request.
(d) If the governmental entity must deny the person’s request to inspect or copy the public book or record because the public book or record, or a part thereof, is confidential, provide to the person, in writing:
- Notice of that fact; and
- A citation to the specific statute or other legal authority that makes the public book or record, or a part thereof, confidential.
Types of Document Requests
The person requesting the information may be directed to the OSIT website (osit.nv.gov), where many documents are posted online in PDF and/or Word format.
Please note, a state agency is not required, nor is it obligated, to comply with a request for information that is not compiled or tracked as a standard procedure of the agency, or that is compiled or tracked in a different way by the agency. Further, the agency is not obligated to create new materials to comply with a public record document request.
Costs Associated with Requests
In accordance with NRS 239.055, if a request for copies or inspection of public books or records will require extraordinary use of personnel or technological resources, including the redaction of personal or other privacy protected information, a government entity may charge a reasonable fee to comply with such an extraordinary request. Extraordinary use of personnel time is defined as being anything that requires one hour or more of staff time to comply with requests within a 30-day period. Staff time will also be determined to accompany the requester during his/her time reviewing the documents. Extraordinary requests for copies are defined as anything over 50 pages within a 30-day period. The standard fee charged by OSIT for extraordinary requests includes exact costs to produce the documents, including staff time, but cannot exceed 50 cents per page.
The requester may ask that requested information be copied, bound, etc. by a commercial copy service, which would then directly bill the requester for such services, including, if necessary, delivery of completed materials. Further, if the volume of copies requested would result in an extended delay if completed by OSIT, the agency may have such work completed by a commercial copy service, the cost of which would be billed to the requester. If a fee is to be assessed, the requester will be notified. Once the estimated fee has been determined, the requester must remit payment for the entire amount, payable to “The Governor's Office of Science, Innovation & Technology," prior to the request being honored. If the actual fee is less than estimated, as quickly as possible, the requester will be mailed a check for the balance.
Process to Receive or Review Information
OSIT will notify the requestor in writing within 5 business days of when the records for inspection or copies will be available. If requests are made which may require an extraordinary amount of staff time to fulfill, the response will indicate when further notification will be made as to the availability of the public record/s and provide a fee assessment if applicable.
Inspection of such public books or records must take place in the OSIT office during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. If the requester asks for copies of specific documents while on site, copies will be made by OSIT staff, when staff is available. If records contain confidential information, staff will provide a redacted version of the requested document. Because it will take time for staff to prepare documents that need redacting, it is best to make arrangements ahead of time to give staff ample time to prepare documents.
When requested copies of a public book or record are completed, OSIT will notify the requester that the information may be picked up at the appropriate OSIT office, or be sent via regular mail.
To enable OSIT to respond accurately and completely to requests, requests should be in writing. Requests for public information documents can be made via regular mail or email. All such requests for OSIT public record documents may be sent to the designated agency public records officer or to the OSIT Director’s Office:
Agency Records Official: Debra Petrelli
Attn: Public Record Request
Governor's Office of Science, Innovation & Technology
100 North Stewart Street, Ste 220
Carson City, NV 89701
Or email: dpetrelli@gov.nv.gov
Record Request Officials
In accordance with NRS 239, the OSIT Director has designated the following individual as the Agency Records Official:
Debra Petrelli
dpetrelli@gov.nv.gov